Need A Sign - Dave East, Teyana Taylor

If you ask me, since Harlem, our family’s always been like

It’s been the best of times, it was the worst of times (Worst)

I needed a sign

2008, my mother passes away (RIP)

I’m at rock bottom

Dave’s with me through my mother’s situation (Yeah, I was)

But he’s still playin' basketball, he’s doing his thing (Yeah, I was)

Two years later, he gives me a call

He’s hit rock bottom (Yeah, I did)

He’s gettin' kicked out of school

He has another dream: to rap

He tells me he needs to come back to New York

And if he has this opportunity, he’s gonna make it

I knew I was already strugglin', I didn’t even want him to come back

And be in the streets, I didn’t want him to get into any bullshit

We didn’t really have much, na’mean?

We were just together

All we had was each other and his dream

I look back now, I think of 6E, that front door (Pals)

Right by the staircase, perfect place, that back room I grew up in

He’s been such an inspiration to so many

People see the grind and the pain, the struggle he’s gone through (Right)

That we’ve been through (Right)

But this is for everybody out there (Yeah, it is)

Lookin', thinkin', dreamin', everybody needs a sign (Yeah, they do)

Sometimes you can’t see it yourself

You need a sign, need some help

We know we guilty but we gon' act like we innocent (On God)

My Glock was filthy, need disinfectant to get it in (Oh, God)

My grandpops was an immigrant, never a citizen (Never)

They expect me to vote, told my mother, I needed Ritalin (Crazy)

Was born crazy, (Lost) I never felt like I was normal (Never)

The sun shine bright after it rain, that’s what the storm do (Right)

Roll a blunt and wish I could trade places with Freaky (Malik)

Until I sit and realize my daughter really need me (On God)

I had to cut ties with my closest, niggas is greedy (Greedy)

You can see the pain in my eyes as soon as you see me (Look)

Aladdin had me tryna make wishes, wasn’t no genies (None)

Halal if I was talkin' bout lambs, no Lamborghinis (None)

We was really starvin', in my aunty crib hearin' Marvin

Had to travel the world to realize nowhere like Harlem (Nowhere)

I tried to keep my distance from niggas that’s scared of problems (Scared)

Them niggas realize you food, then anywhere, they’ll rob him (Anywhere)

You ever tuck in your jewelry?

Then you don’t need to shine (You don’t need it)

All the money in the world won’t bring you peace of mind (Nope)

All them chains don’t matter, they hate to see you shine

Was lost, prayin' to God, beggin' him, like, «I need a sign» (I need one)

Show me how to do it when ain’t nothin' workin' (Workin')

I just hope that I don’t shoot if we meet up in person (God)

Now they ask my feature price, they never wanted verses (God)

Now I live a different life, can’t see my mother workin' (On God)

Should I rob 'em?

Should I shoot 'em?

I just need a sign (I need one)

You know I’ve been goin' through it, just give me a sign (Don't blow it)

I promise we all could do it, I just need some time (I promise)

Should I continue with this music?

Just give me a sign (Tell)

Thinkin' 'bout the day when I won’t need to rhyme

She tryna lie on me or she love me?

I just need a sign (I needed one)

I close my eyes and pray, like, «I just need a sign» (Pray)

I listen to what you tell me, I can’t read your mind

I need a sign, I need to blind 'em, eh

Before the diamonds

Though I’ve been live, I set my timin', eh

Ain’t no silver lining

They can’t control me, fuck your controllers

Lost in the sofa least every mornin'

I’m takin' over, fuck these emotions, all the signs

Hey, niggas callin' like we homies now, not

I bet they stop with all that trollin' now, blocked

Made that rooftop into a floor for now, it’s a sign

Now it’s Rolls when we rollin' out, drop

Fuck a lease, I gotta buy the block, block

Fuck them people, there’s a bottom line, no need to sign

My man died before we talked, ain’t get to speak in time

Them grams had them smokers lookin' like a sneaker line

My little man don’t wanna rumble, so he keep a 9

Not breakin' it down, keepin' this pot, shit, this peace of mind

I’m on my daughter, across the water, I hope she don’t see no crime

There’s problems, I pull up on the bike, I’m on Deebo time

I tried to ask my father to help me, told me, «I need to grind»

Your funeral packed, but you dead, can’t even see the line

I hope I see the signs

It break your heart when a youngin' dyin', he was nine

They say he stop, but we speedin', so we don’t see the sign

Feel like a war goin' on when all your people dyin'

Niggas is numb and they gon' act like they don’t see you cryin'

You got a chance to get outta here, we don’t need you ridin'

He just need a sign (He just need a sign)

Nobody keep it real with him, he tired of people lyin'

He sick of lightin' up candles, too many people dyin'

Knowin' you might get up out the hood, that shit’ll keep you tryin'

I’m used to the jungle, nigga, I been a lion

Walk in the booth, kill everything, even my pen is dyin'

That shit they tried to teach in school, we ain’t consider science

You a sucker if you give up, too many niggas tryin'

Pocket watchin', you focused on what your nigga buyin'

Pocket watchin', you focused on what your nigga buyin'

I need a sign, I need to blind 'em, eh

Before the diamonds

Though I’ve been live, I set my timing, eh

Ain’t no silver lining

They can’t control me, fuck your controllers

Lost in the sofa least every morning

I’m takin' over, fuck these emotions, all the signs

Hey, niggas callin' like we homies now, not

I bet they stop with all that trollin' now, blocked

Made that rooftop into a floor for now, it’s a sign

Now it’s Rolls when we rollin' out, drop

Fuck a lease, I gotta buy the block, block

Fuck them people, there’s a bottom line, no need to sign, yeah, yeah